When Servant Becomes Leader The Corazon C. Aquino SuccessSt.docx

When Servant Becomes Leader: The Corazon C. Aquino Success
Story as a Beacon for Business Leaders
Zenon Arthur S. Udani • Caterina F. Lorenzo-Molo
Received: 13 October 2011 / Accepted: 8 August 2012 /
Published online: 5 September 2012
� Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012
Abstract This article makes the case for servant leadership
as a model for business in its analysis of the leadership style of
former Philippine president, Corazon C. Aquino. Premised on
the idea that self-management requires deep spirituality lived
integrally (and sustained by an interior or inner life), we
identify specific traits and virtues of Aquino and their impli-
cations on her leadership and effect on people. The article
begins with an introduction to establish the contribution of
servant leadership on business. It continues with a summary of
key points in servant leadership literature. Then, we analyze
Aquino as a person and leader and find that the former spilled

over to the latter. We conclude by providing a model based on
Aquino’s journey into the role of servant leader; thus, pre-
senting a framework that charts the path toward servant lead-
ership to help businesses address the leadership crisis brought
on by an Enron-WorldCom-Tyco dominated business culture.
Keywords Servant leader � Virtue � Philippines �
Corazon Aquino
Introduction
An icon is an enduring symbol. It is one who becomes
the object of great attention and devotion and thus, also
becomes an idol. But how does one receive such a
superlative and herculean status? If rock stars and movie
and TV personalities were to become our benchmark,
then erratic, odd, and uncontrollable behavior either do
not matter or possibly even catapult one to the level of
icon. But this is only because the term ‘‘icon’’ has been
used loosely. The difference between such ‘‘icons’’ and
the kind of ‘‘icon’’ we wish to tackle in this article is
like the difference between popular culture or any cul-

tural product and the classics. It is also similar to the
difference between a celebrity and an artist, a salesman
and an entrepreneur, a manager and a leader, or a
charismatic leader and a servant leader. Management
books cite Mother Teresa as a servant leader par excel-
lence who selflessly sought the well-being of others
(Howell and Costley 2006). Way above all human
exemplars of servant leaders is Jesus Christ who founded
Christianity and lived his life serving mankind and
offering his life for them (Sendjaya and Sarros 2002).
Like the classics, these icons of leadership have stood
the test of time.
In this article, we offer one such icon, who serves a
unique utility to the current state and image of business
leadership today—hounded by scandals, which has frus-
trated its audiences, market, and clients. Business has been
viewed as an Enron-WorldCom-Tyco world suffering from
crises of leadership and ethics (Arjoon 2000). With the

world financial crisis and high profile cases of wrongdoing
fresh in people’s minds, a view that directly connects
ethical leadership to greatness will certainly be appealing
to an Enron-WorldCom-Tyco business world desperate for
a change—but a practical one that will appease business’s
natural hunger for greatness. Business needs a real success
story with a rationale and framework to explain how one
can emulate real success.
Z. A. S. Udani
Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau,
Avenida Padre Tomas Pereira, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
e-mail: [email protected]
C. F. Lorenzo-Molo (&)
School of Communication, University of Asia and the Pacific
(UA&P), Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City,
Philippines
e-mail: [email protected]
123
J Bus Ethics (2013) 116:373–391

DOI 10.1007/s10551-012-1449-5
Former Philippine president, Corazon (‘‘Cory’’) Co-
juangco Aquino is a unique and atypical example; business
leaders can truly learn from her as she (a plain housewife)
was able to successfully rally people in quite a revolu-
tionary way (through people power) to put an end to a
20-year dictatorship. This called the world’s attention to a
tiny country and its atypical and unusual leader who gave
the world an idea that would normally sound like a
romanticized concept; but it is a real piece of history that
has (as other nations came out with their own versions of
people power) and can serve as a model for generations to
come well beyond the realm of government and politics.
Like the Aquino phenomenon, servant leadership is
unique and useful; and we have chosen it as the rationale
and framework to better understand Aquino’s success.
Klamon (2007, p. 109) declared, ‘‘What renders servant-

leadership distinct from other leadership models yet akin to
social entrepreneurship is the ethical motivation that
inspires individuals to act.’’ Through the idea of servant
leadership and Aquino, we believe business leaders will
have both an ideal and realistic model to encourage them in
the struggle to develop an ethical and successful business
enterprise. Aristotle believed that ‘‘ethics is the art of living
well’’ (Hartman 2007, p. 314) and we think Aquino lived
well enough as a servant leader to be a real model of good
and ethical leadership. Our case is especially relevant to the
area of self management, as Aquino illustrates the crucial
significance of a deep personal spirituality lived integrally
(and sustained by an interior or inner life), which is man-
ifested in virtues such as simplicity, sincerity, and a gen-
uine concern for people. Aquino’s character kept her from
corruption, which has tainted the reputation of politicians
and businessmen in recent years. Lee and Oh (2007)
defined corruption as ‘‘the abuse or misuse of positions or

resources of public officials for private gains usually in the
form of bribery’’ (p. 99). Asian governments have been
known to be corrupt and the Philippine government is no
exception (Lee and Oh 2007). In this study, however, it was
a consensus that Aquino certainly was not. It is a view that
is also popularly held based on anecdotal evidence and
comments of everyday and ordinary people within and
beyond the Philippine archipelago. One of the contentions
of this paper is that Aquino’s character helped her ward off
one of the trappings of power, which in this case is cor-
ruption. Moore and Beadle (2006) opined that courage (one
of Aquino’s virtues) is required to resist the corrupting
power of institutions and its environment. Thus, people
trusted her. Truthfulness (which flows from Aquino’s
integrity and thus, authenticity) enabled trust—a quality,
which Solomon (2004) believed to be that ‘‘‘glue’, the
basic ‘medium’ of a successful business enterprise’’ (p.
1035). Through Aquino, business leaders will be able to

see specific qualities they need and at the same time be
given a rationale to illustrate just how important ethical
leadership is via something very tangible and real—Aqui-
no’s success and elevation to icon.
We are offering something fresh because it presents an
atypical model for business leaders both in terms of theory
(through the concept of servant leadership) and application
(through, once again, another atypical example in the
person of Aquino). An article directly tackling the issue of
ethics premised on a view of leadership that is contrary to
the popular norm and based on an equally unique model,
should spark an interesting discussion that can give birth to
further theories and inspire even more potential case
studies and leadership icons that can give justice to the
concept.
Aquino and Servant Leadership: The Success Story
The success of servant leadership (SL) (as a concept) and
Aquino lies in their testability through time and across

audiences and contexts. A servant leader exists to serve and
lead others through his selfless service (Sendjaya and
Sarros 2002; Hunter 2004; Sipe and Frick 2009). It is a
concept that is thousands of years old, as it has been a
major theme in the Judeo-Christian tradition from the
weeping Joseph embracing his brothers to Jesus washing
the feet of His disciples (Finch 2007); as well as in Islam,
Zen and Taoism (Vanourek in Finch 2007). In the Gospel
of John (Chapter 13), Jesus demonstrated what servant
leadership is by washing the feet of His disciples (Sendjaya
and Sarros 2002)—an act regarded as one of the most
demeaning tasks (Ford in Sendjaya and Sarros 2002),
performed by a host’s servant or the lowest-ranking guest
in ancient Palestine. Sendjaya and Sarros (2002) also traced
SL’s presence in history well outside the realm of reli-
gion—from ancient monarchs, to inaugurations of heads of
state to politicians, who define their role in terms of public
service. Even business, through its marketing arm and the

concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and cus-
tomer-centricity, all forward a kind of leader as servant
concept. Rennaker and Novak (2007, p. 314) opined, ‘‘The
follower orientation of servant-leadership might reflect a
cultural pattern consistent with consumer orientation.’’ But
as Patterson (in Rennaker and Novak 2007, p. 316) indi-
cated, ‘‘social responsibility does not necessarily require a
leader to put the interests of the follower above his or her
own.’’ Certainly, more than any leadership concept, SL has
best stood the test of time, crossed cultures (Judeo-Chris-
tian—Islam-Zen-Taoism), and even disciplines, systems,
and fields (monarchy—modern politics—business).
The same can be said of Aquino. The Revolution she
inspired also became an inspiration for the 1989 revolu-
tions in Eastern Europe, which ended communist
374 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo
123

dictatorships. She has stood the test of time as people
continued to call upon her and listen to her whenever
policies and leaders seemed wayward and problematic; and
she too has crossed cultures, disciplines, and ideologies as
she was: (1) a political (as opposed to business) leader; (2)
female; and (3) Asian but Western-educated and known to
have successfully married her Catholic-Christian faith into
a US-inspired democratic form of government, where the
separation of Church and State is vital. In other words, she
did it! She successfully achieved what various scholars,
leaders, and businesses have still been talking, theorizing,
and wondering about; and she did this on three fronts: (1)
on the east meets west (how do you communicate with and
successfully deal with Asia) discussion; (2) on the male
versus female (how do females fit in a male dominated
world) debate; and perhaps, the most significant one of all,
(3) on the utility of ethics in a largely logical empiricist
(quantitative and utilitarian) and secular humanist (less

than spiritual) business world. On all three fronts, man-
agement literature, and business practitioners are all grap-
pling for ideas. Well, here is a very unique and interesting
one.
But there is another piece to complete the rationale for
the Aquino and servant leadership success story, which
makes this tandem especially relevant to the current state
of business and its leaders. Howell and Costley (2006,
p. 392) opined, ‘‘Servant leadership is probably most
effective when followers are discouraged or face a long and
difficult task.’’ Like the plight of business and leadership
today (as a consequence of the 2008 financial crisis and
various corporate scandals), the Philippines and Cory
Aquino faced a long and arduous task in the years prior to
1986, when the country suffered under the reigns of a
dictator. The country was headed by Ferdinand Marcos,
who plunged the nation into a system governed by ‘‘guns,
goons, and gold.’’ But people saw hope in a young senator,

who boldly questioned and critiqued the country’s seem-
ingly unstoppable strongman. At the start of his career,
Benigno (‘‘Ninoy’’) S. Aquino, Jr., wanted nothing more
but to become president. But experiences with the dicta-
torship opened his eyes to the plight of the people, who
were being stripped off their freedom and further plunged
into poverty. Ninoy Aquino rallied and championed the
opposition as a staunch freedom fighter. Eventually, Mar-
cos arrested him and exiled him to the U.S. Upon his return
in 1983, he was assassinated at the airport. Millions mar-
ched at his funeral to grieve and show their disgust for the
dictatorship. From thereon, Cory Aquino was thrust to the
consciousness of the public as the grieving wife of a
murdered political leader, and symbolically perceived as
the rallying symbol for Philippine freedom and democracy.
Cory Aquino became the most viable candidate against
Marcos who was forced to call a snap election in February,
1986 in hopes of reaffirming his questionable legitimacy.

Garbed in her ubiquitous yellow attire, Cory Aquino
became the central figure that changed the course of Phil-
ippine history and gave the world its first symbol of a
revolutionary kind of female leadership in Asia. She was
also only the third woman to be hailed Time magazine’s
‘‘Woman of the Year’’; and in August 1999, she was again
recognized as one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the
Century.
Similarly, if business leaders get it right, they can be
catapulted to true greatness; and the rationale and example
is right here. In order to understand and learn from this
success story, we have to understand Aquino’s path to
greatness under the lens of key concepts in SL literature. In
order to better understand Aquino, we adopted the quali-
tative research method (Salkind 2006), drawing primary
data from in-depth interviews of 14 persons (see Table 1)
who worked with Corazon (‘‘Cory’’) Aquino. Some
remained close to her well up to the end of her life while

others fell in and out of maintaining close relations with her,
thus, enabling a more realistic and less biased view of her
leadership. Secondary data were also drawn from published
testimonies and tributes to Aquino, both from friends and
‘‘hostile’’ acquaintances, to strengthen the validity of the
research. Semi-structured interview questions were devel-
oped with the aid of general leadership (Yukl 2010), servant
leadership (Greenleaf 2005; Sendjaya and Sarros 2002;
Whetstone 2005; Hamilton and Knoche 2007; Hunter 2004;
Russell and Stone 2002; Sendjaya et al. 2008; Sipe and
Frick 2009), and virtue ethics literature (Havard 2007;
Arjoon 2000; Grint 2007; Hadreas 2002; Hartman 2007;
Dawson and Batholomew 2003; Moore and Beadle 2006).
As validity refers to the extent to which an empirical
measure (in this case, the questionnaire) adequately reflects
the real meaning of a concept under consideration (in this
case, Aquino as a servant leader), the authors married
leadership concepts from literature with manifestations of

such culled from writings on Aquino (Aportadera 2009;
Calica and Macairan 2009; Inquirer 2009; Osorio 2009;
Padua and Macarian 2009; Pamintuan 2009; Philippine Star
2009; Sicam 2009; Time 1987). Questions were designed to
elicit the interviewees’ impressions and opinions about
Aquino’s person and character, leadership style and
behavior, work relationships, and her influence on others.
The respondents were also afforded the opportunity to
discuss issues not addressed by the questions, but relevant
to the research topic. Verbatim interview transcripts were
analyzed, applying both manual and software-aided tech-
niques (NVivo 7) for topic and analytical coding to enhance
the reliability of the study. Coding served to organize the
data according to categories following the pre-set questions.
The categories were further analyzed, compared, regrouped,
and refined to define the core themes and conceptual
When Servant Becomes Leader 375
123

relationships. The findings were then analyzed in light of
theoretical considerations on servant leadership, and con-
clusions and theoretical formulations were drawn.
Virtue: The Quality Needed for Success
In the article, Segmenting the Base of the Pyramid, Rangan
et al. (2011) illustrated the pitfalls of companies’ failure to
link their own financial success with that of their constit-
uencies. They opined, ‘‘If a company embarks on an ini-
tiative that focuses solely on commercial gain, civil society
and governments are likely to oppose it intensely’’ (p. 173).
Similarly, ‘‘projects that fail to make money will eventu-
ally be relegated to companies’ corporate social responsi-
bility departments, as Microsoft discovered.’’ This is a
result of leadership’s lack of good judgment and foresight
as to what the common good really is. A good leader is
relatively more developed in the virtues and has a clear
vision of the common good (Arjoon 2000). Dawson and

Bartholomew (2003, p. 127) stressed that virtues promote
human flourishing and enable people to direct their
behavior toward a goal (Arjoon 2000). Based on Solo-
mon’s (2004) idea that there should be ‘‘no ultimate split or
antagonism between individual self-interest and the greater
public good’’ (p. 1021), one has to think of oneself as a
member of the larger community and strive to excel, to
bring out what is best in oneself and the community; and
from a more pragmatic perspective, business owners and
stakeholders should think, if a leader is not others-centered,
then he must be individualistic and thus, self-serving.
Certainly, business owners would not want their companies
to be steered and led by self-serving individuals. What is
best in people are virtues, which are in turn, defined by the
community. Interestingly, Kodish (2006) discovered, a
renewed interest in virtues happened during the Renais-
sance—the age that saw the blossoming of the human
potential, leading to the soaring of science and technology.

Thus, a pragmatic understanding of the virtues can truly
help create a sound leadership model that can more spe-
cifically illustrate the true value of the servant leader.
Servant-first leaders ‘‘make sure that other people’s highest
priority needs are being served’’ (Greenleaf 2002, p. 27);
and virtues can be those fundamental core competencies,
which Arjoon (2000, p. 169) defined as ‘‘the organizational
strength of the firm that allows it to perform more effi-
ciently and effectively.’’ In a world driven by selfish
interests and desires, the formation of an ethical practice
Table 1 List of Interviewees
Name Position
Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas (‘‘Bernie
Villegas’’)
Appointed by President Cory Aquino as a member of the
Constitutional Commission that drafted the
Philippine Constitution in 1986; economic adviser to the
government
Mrs. Maria Elena Aquino Cruz

(‘‘Ballsy Cruz’’)
The eldest child of President Cory Aquino; personal secretary of
the President
Mr. Rafael Lopa (‘‘Rapa Lopa’’) Nephew of President Cory
Aquino; executive assistant of Cory since 1993; Executive
Director of the
Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Foundation
Mrs. Margie Penson Juicio
(‘‘Margie Juico’’)
Appointments Secretary of President Cory Aquino
Mr. Philip Ella Juico (‘‘Philip
Juico’’)
Secretary of Agrarian Reform (DAR) during the term of
Philippine President Cory Aquino
Atty. Franklin M. Drilon (‘‘Frank
Drilon’’)
Served President Cory Aquino as Secretary of the Department
of Justice, as Executive Secretary, and
lastly as Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment
Mrs. Teresita Ang See Founding president of Kaisa Para Sa
Kaunlaran Inc., an NGO of Chinese Filipinos advocating the

integration ethnic Chinese into Philippine society; crime fighter
and journalist
Fr. Catalino Arevalo, SJ Chaplain and friend of President Cory
Aquino’s family
Mrs. Deedee Siytangco Spokesperson of President Cory Aquino
Mr. Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. (‘‘Joey
Cuisia’’)
Head of the Social Security System and eventually Head of the
Central Bank of the Philippines during the
term of President Cory Aquino
Mr. Teodoro Locsin Jr. (‘‘Teddyboy
Locsin’’)
Presidential spokesperson and speechwriter of President Cory
Aquino
Mr. Oscar M. Orbos (‘‘Oca Orbos’’) Appointed by President
Cory Aquino as Secretary of the Department of Transportation
and
Communications, and then as Executive Secretary
Mr. Vitaliano N. Nanagas II
(‘‘Lanny Nanagas’’)
President of Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC)
from1988 to 1993

Atty. Fulgencio S. Factoran Jr.
(‘‘Jun Factoran’’)
Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources during the
term of Philippine President Cory Aquino
123
can be less challenging with a servant leader at the helm;
and Aquino is a prime example.
Challenges for Servant Leadership in the Business
World
Greenleaf (2005, p. 27) opined, ‘‘To the worldly, servant
leaders may seem naive.’’ The concept of the narcissistic
leader, one with a larger-than-life-ego (Kodish 2006), has
for so long, dominated human thinking (Maccoby in Ko-
dish 2006). Sendjaya and Sarros (2002) recognized the
tendency among leadership scholars to present leaders as
larger-than-life and Herculean. What captures the public’s

attention is a charismatic leader’s propensity for high
drama (Hamilton and Knoche 2007). In a world that is
increasingly becoming more image-oriented (Kodish 2006)
it is understandable how the quiet leader (plow horse)
passes unnoticed, while the charismatic leader (show
horse) can easily attract a cult-like following.
But the narcissistic leader ‘‘cannot stand the tests of
reality and sound business practices’’ (Kodish 2006,
p. 451). Moreover, in Jim Collins’ best-selling book enti-
tled, Good to Great (2001), this seeming oxymoron is part
of the essential characteristic of great leaders, who were
found to possess what Kodish (2006, p. 451) identified as
‘‘a paradoxical combination of traits’’—‘‘ferocious resolve
and fearlessness and stoicism on one hand and unpreten-
tiousness, modesty, shyness, and humility’’ (p. 453). Col-
lins (in Hamilton and Knoche 2007) found CEOs in the
study to be quiet, of dogged nature, awkward, modest, and
shy. Thus, there is value in considering that just maybe,

‘‘the heroic leader is a singularly inappropriate role model
in many circumstances’’ (Grint 2007, p. 233). This is where
we might consider the simple yet novel insight provided by
the dictum of ‘‘doing ordinary things, extraordinarily
well.’’ Greenleaf (1977), the founder of the concept
‘‘constructed the notion of servant leadership not by
studying some top-notch corporate leaders or other high
profile individuals, but through his reading of Herman
Hesse’s story about a pilgrimage, Journey to the East’’
(Sendjaya and Sarros 2002, p. 58), where the character of
servant, was essential to all other characters, needing his
guidance and leadership throughout.
Similar to SL is the concept of the transformational
leader (see Burns 1978). While both are said to be people-
oriented (Patterson et al. 2003), transformational leaders
are concerned with getting followers to support organiza-
tional objectives for the sake of the organization. This is
similar to the US marine code of ‘‘Mission first, then team,

then self’’ (in Useem 2010, p, 89), which Wharton has
incorporated into their MBA and executive MBA pro-
grams. Useem (2010, p. 88) opined, ‘‘The organization
should be put first in business, whatever the individual
calculus, and it is important for leaders to repeatedly affirm
that.’’ Thus, students are taught, ‘‘The ability to make fast
and effective decisions that draw quickly upon the insights
of all those on the front lines is among the defining qual-
ities of combat-ready leadership’’ (p. 89). While the stu-
dent’s ingenuity is given primacy, it is only honed in order
for him to learn how to convey strategic intent to align
people across an organization to reach a common goal. But
the fact that leadership is viewed as something that has to
be ‘‘combat-ready’’ might explain why ‘‘leaders find it
tough to ensure that their people adhere to values and
ethics’’ (Nonaka and Takeuchi 2011, p. 59). Given the
often scandalous behavior of leaders and business, there is
reason to believe ‘‘There’s something wrong with the way

B-schools, companies, and leaders are developing manag-
ers.’’ Thus, Nonaka and Takeuchi declared, ‘‘The ability to
lead wisely has nearly vanished.’’
Servant leaders focus on the people who constitute the
organization. One might, however, ask to what extent does
the servant leader’s impetus to serve others (while feeling
no affinity for an organization) impede an organization’s
economic flourishing? Rennaker and Novak (2007, p. 305)
echoed the ‘‘concern regarding the utility of servant-lead-
ership for influencing organizational level measures such
as productivity or efficiency.’’ Stone, et al. (in Rennaker
and Novak 2007) ‘‘further complicated the issue of utility
by claiming that servant-leaders focus more on follower
needs than organizational objectives.’’ This is thus viewed
as problematic because Useem (2010, p. 89) wrote, ‘‘What
is good for the individual manager is not necessarily good
for the company.’’
The expert in Aristotelian business ethics, however, will

disagree. Solomon (2004) wrote, there should be ‘‘no
ultimate split or antagonism between individual self-
interest and the greater public good’’ (p. 1021). Similarly,
there should be no split between what is good for the
individual manager and the company. For Vinnet Nayar,
CEO of an IT services giant in India, employees come first
and customers second (Cappelli et al. 2010). From an
interview of senior executives at 98 of the largest India-
based companies, Cappelli et al. found that none of them
suggested that their company’s success was due to their
cleverness at strategy or skill in financial markets, mergers,
or acquisitions. Their success was in their people—through
their investment in people development and engagement
with employees. In Japan, managers and business leaders
recognize the unity between business and society as Japa-
nese companies ‘‘live in harmony with society, have a
social purpose in earning profits, pursue the common good
as a way of life, have a moral purpose in running a busi-

ness’’ (Nonaka and Takeuchi 2011, p. 61). Thus, the
authors proposed a new communitarian approach to
123
capitalism with leaders imbuing a social purpose in their
activities. We believe, however, that leaders should also
take caution when imbuing business activities with a social
purpose and higher meaning—that it not border on nar-
cissism or a missionary zeal in the tradition of the occult,
that might just, once again, frame business and its leaders
as gigantic juggernauts fulfilling a mission along similar
lines as the White Man’s Burden (a poem that alludes to
Western hegemony of ‘‘less developed’’ people).
The narcissistic and charismatic leader can perhaps be
traced to the idea of man-centeredness and secularism,
which flourished during the Enlightenment (Kodish 2006).
The occupation with the absence of empirical studies in SL

can also be attributed to the intellectual framework intro-
duced by the age, which framed itself as a revolution in
thinking and paved the way for human progress. Kodish
(2006, p. 458) referred to this as the ‘‘dogmatic adherence
to Newtonian and Cartesian principles and an insistence on
cold and lifeless objectivity without taking humanity into
consideration.’’ Trepidation and unease with the servant
leader’s impetus to serve others (while feeling no affinity
for an organization) and impeding an organization’s eco-
nomic flourishing, is part of the consequence of the bottom
line being money, as opposed to loftier human pursuits.
Hadreas (2002, p. 372) wrote, ‘‘The quasi-political activi-
ties of the modern corporation are not sufficient to
engender ‘living well,’ in the sense of human flourishing.’’
Another issue hounding the SL concept is the call for
substantial empirical research (Bass in Sendjaya and Sarros
2002) and the attribution of the slow movement of SL
scholarship to the absence of such studies. It is, however,

ironic how a concept with a ‘‘profound philosophical
foundation’’ (Bass in Sendjaya and Sarros 2002, p. 57),
which ‘‘provides avenues for its theoretical development,’’
failed to immediately capture scholarship and practice.
Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011, p. 60) provided an
explanation:
Managers tend to rely on explicit knowledge, because
it can be codified, measured, and generalized…The
scientific, deductive, theory-first approach assumes a
world independent of context and seeks answers that
are universal and predictive. However, all social
phenomena—including business—are context
dependent.
Rennaker and Novak (2007, p. 306) opined, ‘‘There is
cause for research exploring the contextual factors related
to servant-leadership’s existence and effectiveness for
organizations’’; because ‘‘leadership in an organization
might focus on individualistic wants in a manner that is not
consistent with the altruism and empowerment associated

with servant-leadership’’ (Rennaker and Novak 2007,
p. 318). Perhaps studies on the context ripe for a servant
leader can be one of the answers to the void left by the
absence of empirical studies to prove SL effective and real.
But for servant leadership to continue to demonstrate
‘‘staying power’’ a database of success stories must be built
(Rennaker and Novak 2007); and Aquino is one such
success story.
Manifestations of Aquino’s Good Leadership
Greenleaf (2003, p.33) declared, the servant leader ‘‘is more
likely to emerge in practice in those segments of society
where the concern is most intensely felt for justice (rather
than order), for the performance (rather than the form) of
our institutions, and for the appropriateness (rather than the
result) of power and authority.’’ Cory Aquino’s rise to
power was a product of disgust for a dictatorship mired in
dirty politics and abuses to human dignity and freedom. She
was forced to assume the challenge of the presidency out of

her genuine desire to effect meaningful change. Thus,
people rallied toward her and an unimaginable miracle
happened. In Aquino, the vision of the narcissistic and
charismatic leader and the traditional context for choosing a
leader based on order, form, and result all broke down. Her
success and rise to power was a combination of context and
virtue—the context that the dictatorship had inflicted ter-
rible abuses to human freedom and dignity; and the essence
of true leadership laden with virtue.
The philosophical foundation for Aquino’s success as a
servant leader is anchored on SL literature, which identifies
the following core virtues—integrity, spirituality, exem-
plary character, humility and simplicity, authenticity,
courage, people-centeredness, and being genteel or ‘‘grace
under pressure.’’ Our study confirms that Aquino lived
these virtues and thus, qualifies her as a model of SL. At
the same time, the study invokes Aristotle who believed
that ‘‘societies are practically best managed by adopting

ameliorative measures that fit the prevailing regime’’
(Bragues 2007, p. 380); and in the Philippine experience
with a servant leader, these virtues were crucial.
Integrity
Across cultures, industries, and leadership theories, integ-
rity is high on the list. Morrison (in Knights and O’Leary
2006) argued that it is the foundation of character and
without it, leaders will never generate trust. Bass and
Steidlmeier (1999) declared that to be truly transforma-
tional, leadership must be morally grounded; thus, authen-
ticity flows and a real transformation of the other begins.
Sendjaya et al. (2008) stressed, ‘‘the authenticity of servant
leaders significantly shapes and affects their relationships to
others’’ (p. 407). Aquino’s authenticity flows from her
123
integrity. She was often true to her word and led by

example; thus, it was not difficult for people to believe that
she was in fact, authentic in the real sense of the word.
The authors, however, would like to explain that the use
of the word ‘‘authentic’’ is not exclusive. Authenticity is
found in other leadership styles; but it is not portrayed as
the core focus. For instance, transformational leadership is
authentic (see Bass and Steidlmeier 1999) and needs to be
authentic (Evers-Williams 2007); while it is not labeled as
such, it is implied. Whether other views of self and lead-
ership are authentic or not, is of course a matter for debate
and more research; but in our universe, which places eth-
ical integrity and moral culture right at the center (Thoms
2008), then at the very least, other modes that exclude these
indicators should bring to question the authenticity of other
leadership views and models. In fact, Kodish (2006)
revealed the paradox of leadership steeped in narcissism,
which also implies the significance of ethical integrity and
moral culture for leadership to be authentic. But certainly,

this can be a matter for debate especially for those coming
from a very different leadership mode.
With Aquino, serving government became a distinct
honor because she set as the standard in public service the
virtues of honesty and moral integrity (Aportadera 2009).
After stepping down from office, Aquino did not have any
corruption case filed against her. Teddyboy Locsin
explained, ‘‘she was very particular about separating her
personal money with the office’’ and that ‘‘in her drawer
she had two stacks—food eaten by children, she’d get from
her personal money; food eaten by her, that’s charged to
Malacañang’’ (the office of the President). Quezon City
Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. confirmed this: ‘‘She never
asked for favors for herself or her family’’ (Calica and
Macairan 2009) and that ‘‘she made a difference between
the people’s money and her own.’’ Father Arevalo added
that according to the head of Philippine Airlines’ (PAL)
security, Aquino ‘‘was absolutely scrupulous about gaso-

line.’’ He added, ‘‘Whenever it was for her own personal
trips, not as president, she would pay for that, she would go
by ordinary PAL.’’ Neither did she seek reelection. Margie
Juico opined, ‘‘she preserved the integrity of the Presi-
dency’’ and never once asked Juico ‘‘to call or check with
the Supreme Court justices, the Bureau of Internal Revenue
(BIR) or any other agency’’ to try to influence policy for
the sake of personal interests. Oscar Orbos confessed that
when he was Executive Secretary, she never gave special
instructions to favor anyone or to bend the rules to
accommodate certain business interests. Teresita Ang See
affirmed, ‘‘She did not exempt herself from the rules.’’ For
instance, Philip Juico revealed that the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) did not exempt Haci-
enda Luisita, a big parcel of land that belonged to the
Cojuangco family. In fact, Aquino forbade any of her
relatives from retaking any family business lost during the
Marcos years or from starting any new businesses during

her term as president. Juico stressed how Aquino disliked
the display of power, arrogance, and being special. Former
finance secretary and businessman Ramon del Rosario
declared, Cory Aquino ‘‘made many Filipinos proud
because of her honesty, integrity, and transparency’’
(Calica and Macairan 2009). As proof of the value of
ethical leadership, according to the Makati Business Club
(MBC), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(PCCI) and the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI),
business confidence improved when Aquino became pres-
ident in 1986 (Osorio 2009). Havard (2007, p. 7) added,
‘‘Long after she ceased to be President, Filipinos still
looked up to her.’’
Spirituality
Sendjaya and Sarros (2002) discovered several SL authors’
arguments for spirituality and humility as the motivational
base for servant leaders. Spirituality has become an area of
interest and focus for business and organizations in general.

As ‘‘work has taken an ever more prominent and time-
consuming place’’ (Kolodinsky et al. 2007, p. 465) in our
lives the human and more personal aspect of workers has
taken a more conspicuous dimension in the workplace.
Aquino’s spirituality is uniquely significant to a virtue
ethics based study on leadership since ‘‘a spirituality that
enables a person to develop good moral habits (or virtue) is
appropriate for the workplace’’ (Cavanagh and Bandsuch
2002, p. 109). Moreover, it is significant to point out that
human beings are most authentically human when
stretching toward fostering a relationship with God and
others (Finch, 2007). Stemming from common sense and
practice, this paper defines spirituality as a state of being
inclined to going beyond the obvious physical reality as a
consequence of being drawn toward the divine, which,
itself, is a consequence of virtue. This is consistent with
workplace spirituality scholars Gotsis and Kortezi (2007),
who defined their field as ‘‘an experience of transcendence,

interconnectedness, personal completeness and joy’’ (p.
579). Aquino saw her faith and the presidency as com-
patible dimensions of life. Her faith in the divine is well
known. Margie Juico recalled that she often used to say, ‘‘I
pray with all my heart, I work with all my might.’’
According to Deedee Siytangco, she was guided with her
personal dictum, ‘‘I’ll do my best and God will do the
rest.’’ Rapa Lopa recalled, ‘‘She kept on telling us, you’ll
have to make people realize that if you begin to trust God
and center your life in God, nothing else matters.’’ Her
conviction in the divine is apparent in the fact that
according to her daughter, Ballsy, she felt sorry for those
who did not believe. Perhaps, this is what enabled her to
123
become, what Jun Factoran referred to as, ‘‘physically and
morally brave.’’ Like all other virtues, her supernatural

outlook remained with her throughout her presidency and
well beyond; and like all other virtues it took time and
effort to acquire. Her daughter Ballsy narrated how her
parents came to build such a deep relationship with God:
‘‘It was during martial law when she and Dad became
spiritual…Before that he was just so one-track minded on
becoming President.’’ It was then when he realized that his
suffering during martial law was but a small test. Ninoy’s
daughter shared, ‘‘He became so dependent on God’’ and
that ‘‘those times were difficult for Mom, but that was what
gave her strength.’’ Her unflinching faith in God tremen-
dously helped her in carrying the burdens of public office
and put the welfare of her countrymen before her own.
Exemplary Character
An exemplary character is central to SL as well as virtue
ethics. Bragues (2007) argued ‘‘that social groupings, such
as corporations, work best when led by individuals of good
character’’ (p. 373). An illustration of Aquino’s exemplary

character can certainly provide a model for this type of
leadership.
Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011, p. 63) opined, ‘‘Wise
leaders quickly sense what lies behind a situation, project a
vision of the future or the consequences, and decide on the
action needed to realize that vision…intuitively fathom the
nature and meaning of people, things, and events.’’ Aqui-
no’s spiritual director, Father Arevalo declared, Aquino
‘‘was a woman of great personal character’’ with a ‘‘gen-
uine love for the Filipino people,’’ which he believes, is
what won the honor and affection of the people. She had
what many Christian Catholics refer to as unity of life—
living with Christ and in Christ, at each and every moment
of one’s existence with family, friends, co-workers, and
acquaintances. Cory Aquino was a God-fearing individual
with a strict Catholic formation, which had a lasting
influence on her personal beliefs and presidency; and this
enabled her to be prudent. This is an important quality for
all individuals but most especially for leaders. Nonaka and

Takeuchi (2011) wrote about the significance of phronesis
or practical wisdom, which they opined, ‘‘enables manag-
ers to determine what is good in specific times and situa-
tions and to undertake the best actions at those times to
serve the common good’’ (p. 61) because ‘‘Practical wis-
dom is tacit knowledge acquired from experience that
enables people to make prudent judgments and take actions
based on the actual situation, guided by values and morals’’
(p. 60). When leaders are able to cultivate such knowledge,
they are able to make enlightened decisions. Aquino’s
prudence might have just saved the country from further
chaos. Teddyboy Locsin recounted, during the 1989 coup,
when the Americans came to assist and Fidel Ramos gave
them the targets to hit, Cory refused to hit any target
because she was afraid that it could start a civil war.
Aquino was prudent enough not to act rashly and consid-
ered the consequence of choosing the more violent alter-
native. Had she opted to hit those targets, a civil war might

have ensured and the peaceful revolution that the country
had popularized might have lost its appeal.
Humility and Simplicity
This paper illustrates the connection between Aquino’s
spirituality and her virtues—particularly the combination of
humility and simplicity, for which she was widely known.
These are qualities that have been explicated in bestselling
author, Jim Collins’ (2001) the ‘‘Level Five Leader’’ as well
as leadership scholar Joseph Badaracco (2003) in his con-
cept of the ‘‘quiet leader.’’ While Herculean concepts of
leadership are the opposite of the very essence of the servant
leader, ironically, Aquino provides a Herculean case to
serve as a model. Her case might perhaps, prove attractive
to a corporate world that is enthralled by revolutionary and
over-the-top cases and concepts. But Aquino’s humility and
simplicity were authentic, which, once again, ironically led
her to become a larger-than-life figure.
Aquino was both intelligent and humble. Joey Cuisia

recalled how she was transparent and honest about not
understanding complex issues such as fiscal and monetary
policy. Philip Juico explained ‘‘when she talks to me, she
refers to me as ho’’ (a term used to refer to someone with
great respect in the local dialect). Margie Juico confessed
that sometimes she ‘‘thinks lowly of herself.’’ For instance,
while crossing the street, Aquino would say ‘‘Let’s be
careful and go slowly…we might be run over.’’ Juico would
say to herself, ‘‘People would surely not try to run you
over.’’ Juico added: ‘‘Or one time, she says, ‘How good they
are because they still remember me.’’’ Juico would reply, ‘‘I
suppose so; you’re a former President.’’ Teddyboy Locsin
confessed that as a young lawyer-journalist and son of the
owner of what was then, a very powerful newspaper, he was
quite arrogant. He revealed that Aquino helped him realize
that one’s position did not matter as much as what one really
did. He recalled having to write the president’s speech about
firing certain members of her cabinet, including himself. It

was with Aquino that he learned to set aside his pride; and
he remained loyal even if she did fire him thrice. Aquino’s
daughter, Ballsy also shared a story that reveals the depth of
her mother’s humility—in a wedding they attended during
martial law, nobody wanted to sit with them at the reception
and were thus seated with the nannies of the flower girls.
But they sat there and endured it. Moreover, also during
martial law, they were humiliated with all those body
searches, when visiting Ninoy in prison.
123
While she was confident, she exhibited humility not akin
to those in power; it was clear to many that her role as
leader was simply a task and responsibility that she had to
do; and being in power was not something she necessarily
enjoyed. Rapa Lopa recalled how his aunt even scolded
him for asking people to prepare messages for her, which

he would place in a binder for her 75th birthday. Ballsy
Aquino-Cruz declared, she did not like to call attention to
herself. Margie Juico recalled a trip to a province for a
function as president, when people offered her a fancy
chair; but she refused and opted to sit on a sack of rice like
everybody else. She was not power-hungry. She did not
even run for reelection, in spite of the various voices
egging her to do so. She was definitely not a ‘‘primadonna’’
as Margie Juico admitted. She recalled, while in
Malacañang, ‘‘she never ordered me to do anything’’ and
‘‘what she will do is she will get up and do it herself.’’
Another aspect of her great humility was, according to
Bernie Villegas, the fact that she ‘‘accepted her limita-
tions.’’ Teresita Ang See concurred, ‘‘when there is
something she doesn’t understand, she is humble to admit.’’
Oscar Orbos added that there are the so-called experts who
like to carry their weight around; but she was president,
and he could disagree with her and discuss things honestly

and intelligently. A less obvious example of her humility is
the fact that she mustered the courage to act as com-
mander-in-chief of an armed forces that may have also
murdered her husband and took part in the humiliating
body searches and procedures she and her children had to
undergo when visiting Ninoy Aquino in jail during the
Marcos years. She could be counted on to set aside her
emotions to make difficult and painful decisions. One
should consider why she allowed the Marcoses to return to
the country. Frank Drilon confessed that he advised her to
allow them to return based on the rationale that they have
the right of abode as citizens of the Philippines; and on that
basis she made her decision.
In consonance with this was her unprecedented level of
simplicity. She truly led an ordinary life. Philip Juico
recalled that some months after the death of her husband,
he saw her at the supermarket doing the groceries for the
family. Her virtues were real even when the cameras were

off and the public stopped looking. Teresita Ang-See
pointed out to the fact that she opted to live in Arlegui, a
fairly middle to upper middle-class residence, as opposed
to Malacañang (the presidential palace). In fact, her very
choice of home (Times Street) even before the presidency
is another indicator of her humble and simple leanings.
Given her family background and social status, she could
have opted to live in one of the city’s more extravagant
residential areas. The same goes for her manner of dress-
ing, which both Locsin and Orbos recognized as simple—
sometimes too simple, even for someone not of her stature.
She often had to attend events where she was the focus of
attention (i.e., when she addressed the US Joint Houses of
Congress) and yet she chose to wear what many might
consider plain (a decision she made to the detriment of her
public relations advisers).
Authenticity
Cory Aquino’s numerous international awards recognize

her as an icon of democracy. But the effect of this could not
have been sustained had the leader been but an empty
source of inspiration. Aquino’s public and private face
were one and the same. Her sincerity and integrity were not
products of public relations or propaganda. Aquino’s image
was not just an image but a real reflection of the person
within. Father Arevalo explained that this is the rationale
for the so-called ‘‘Cory Magic’’ and why ‘‘people stood by
her and she was able to remain.’’ Oca Orbos recalled that
when he was Executive Secretary, as long as an order came
from Aquino, he never doubted the integrity of a task.
Bernie Villegas agreed that in spite some of her other
limitations (i.e., her economics, failure to sometimes
choose the right members to join her team), Aquino was
sincere. Roxas (2010) opined, ‘‘She wasn’t just this larger-
than-life symbol on a poster.’’ Her strength of character
helped her to ward off what Orbos referred to as an office,
which is ‘‘a landmine for royal treatment and corruption.’’

Courage
At an international conference on servant leadership,
Evers-Williams (2007) described courage as ‘‘believing in
something strongly enough where you will not turn back
regardless of the circumstances’’ (p. 101). Moreover, she
differentiated the servant leader by identifying a crucial
characteristic, which SL literature already confirms—that
the SL is a reluctant leader as he does not set out to do or to
become a leader. Like Aquino, potential servant leaders are
thrust into trying circumstances that require much courage
to face and take on; and when they do, it rocks their world
and that of others (but almost entirely for the benefit of the
latter). In the case of Aquino, her world was truly rocked.
She took on a feared dictator who exiled and imprisoned
her husband; and yet, she mustered the courage to take him
on. She survived numerous coup attempts and as Locsin
declared, did not seem to exhibit any fear even if at times,
it seemed that they were on the losing end. In spite of the

separation of Church and State the country inherited from
its American colonizers, Aquino was not afraid to allow her
faith to play a big role in her leadership style.
But she of course, had her critics. Many will view
decisions such as allowing the Marcoses to return a sign of
123
weakness and perhaps wavering principles. But based on
her track record of solid integrity, this is hardly the case.
While the value of the decision may be questioned, the
principle by which she made the decision was a result of
courage and humility. A president who survives seven coup
attempts and manages to keep democracy alive despite
repeated armed challenges can hardly be described as weak
(Pamintuan 2009). Margie Juico explained, ‘‘She acts that
way because she has been through a lot—she’s seen her
husband suffer and die, they were ostracized, vilified and

her husband pilloried by media.’’ Juico added: ‘‘She’s seen
the other side of the political spectrum—that of being in
the opposition as opposed the Administration.’’ While
strong leaders may often be misunderstood, there is a kind
of strength that is appreciated and even revered. Perhaps, it
helped that she exuded other qualities and characteristics
that earned the love and respect of people.
People-Centeredness
People-centeredness is one of the hallmarks of SL, par-
ticularly focused on the transformation of followers. But it
is a unique and truly selfless brand of transformation, since
the goal is to help the follower grow freer and wiser and
eventually become servant leaders themselves. There is a
real impetus to help other human beings become better
human beings. It is a concept similar to Jacques Maritain’s
personalism, which emphasizes the uniqueness of the per-
son in tandem with the relational and communitarian
dimension of the human being (Whetstone in Acevedo

2012). Acevedo (2012) recognized this connection as he
confirmed the similarity between personalism and the ser-
vant leader’s transforming vision, guided by the commit-
ment to honoring the dignity and freedom of followers in
their effort to participate in a community. In addition,
Aquino’s brand of ‘‘people-centeredness’’ was drenched in
love, ‘‘which is the virtue that promotes the other virtues
and puts order and unity among them’’ (Argadoña 2011,
p. 80).
Cappelli (2010, p. 95) found that in India, ‘‘leaders go to
considerable lengths to empower employees’’ and that ‘‘the
best Indian companies have a social mission and a sense of
national purpose because that helps employees find
meaning in their work’’ (p. 94). Aquino’s management
strategy recognized the value of people; and this was
manifested in her strategy of consultation and people-
centered approach to running the country and dealing with
challenges and issues. Philip Juico opined that while

‘‘inefficient at times,’’ she truly believed that democracy
was the best system ‘‘because it respects the dignity of the
human person’’ and helps to empower people. Consistent
with her goal of bringing back democracy, she believed in
allowing the people whom she chose and trusted to give
sound advice. Joey Cuisia and Margie Juico admitted that
she did not interfere in their decision-making and simply
expected them to do their job. In fact, Orbos declared that
he could critique her opinions and decisions openly. A
more formal version of this is practiced in Japan where
companies create opportunities for senior executives and
employees to learn from each other (see Nonaka and
Takeuchi 2011). A ba (place, space, or field) is created
where employees (which includes upper management) can
share information and build relationships. In one particular
company, employees are even asked to review their pres-
ident’s business practices in a kurumaza (sitting in a circle).
Aquino’s people-centeredness was apparent in both her

role as president and friend. As a leader, Aquino attempted
to bring opposing groups together and surrounded herself
with what people referred to as a ‘‘rainbow coalition.’’ She
tried to find a place for everyone in her government,
whether Marxist, communist, rightist, or centrist. Bernie
Villegas, however, explained that as a result, ‘‘there were
members of her team who could not get along and some of
her decisions were flawed.’’ Joey Cuisia recalled Aquino
saying you can never please everyone and that she was not
a politician. Cuisia suspected that this may also have
worked against her because some of those politicians made
it difficult for her bills to get passed in Congress because
she was not willing to compromise. But Drilon revealed
that while she trusted and allowed her people to discuss and
settle disputes that involved policy, ‘‘if it involved the
integrity of the official,’’ she would not tolerate it. When a
compromise between conflicting parties could not be set-
tled, she would make the tough decision to let them go, as

the case was with her first Executive Secretary (Joker
Arroyo) and Finance Minister (Jimmy Ongpin), who could
not get along. Margie Juico explained that Aquino was very
much in control, following one of her personal dictums,
‘‘You do your consulting but in the end you make your
decision and you’ll be accountable and responsible for the
decision you make.’’
On a more personal note, some married couples men-
tioned how Cory’s advice helped save their marriage.
Lanny Nanagas revealed her thoughtfulness, recalling how
Aquino would regularly call him on his birthday. Margie
Juico specifically remembered how the late president was
present at her father’s wake daily. Deedee Siytangco
recalled how attentive she was to people’s problems. Joey
Cuisia opined, ‘‘She would even think of the welfare of her
driver, her security people.’’ Locsin recalled, ‘‘She made
sure that all her guards ate.’’ In the words of her daughter
Ballsy, because she was ‘‘loved and not feared,’’ people

followed her. Even in death, Ballsy recalled that her self-
lessness and others-centeredness came pouring out. After
the doctor had told her chemotherapy was no longer
working, she mustered the courage to tell her mother who
123
responded, ‘‘I was ready to go the first time I found out…I
was only thinking of you; you might not be ready yet.’’ In
fact, just before she passed away, Margie Juico recalled
how Aquino’s main concern was how one of her grandsons
would get a job, his girlfriend, and what he would give her
for Valentine’s. It was selflessness coupled with simplicity.
Aquino knew how to take good care of people and
remained very loyal to them. She was able to play the part
of mother to those who were not even her children. This
was particularly evident among the male interviewees. She
was also able to accomplish what most parents struggle
hard to attain—that of being a friend and mother to your

children. To most of the female interviewees, she was
revered as a dear and exceptional friend, who took good
care of them. Jun Factoran opined her relationship with
God is probably what enabled her to become others-cen-
tered; and Aquino’s commitment to the common good,
others-centeredness, and selflessness inspired people to do
the same because they saw it in her.
Genteel Leader: Grace Under Pressure
Cameron (2011) opined that responsible leadership or the
ability and inclination to act in an appropriate fashion is an
attribute that makes certain types of leadership rare. This
concept is consistent with Aristotle who believed that
people of good character perceive a situation rightly
(Hartman 2007) and that Aquino was genteel or grace
under pressure adds to her appeal as a model for SL or any
type of good leadership; because she successfully put into
practice the inclination to act in an appropriate fashion—to
act virtuously. This did not only help her succeed as a

leader but it also helped endear her to her countrymen and
to the world at large.
Aquino was not the kind of person who would lose her
temper or blow her top (Lanny Nanagas). Cuisia admitted,
‘‘if she was angry, she would keep it to herself.’’ She was
always poised and polite, even when faced with adversity
and personal criticism. She was secure and confident that
even when she addressed the Joint Houses of Congress in
the US, she was not concerned with her appearance,
knowing that the entire globe would be watching. Perhaps,
Cory Aquino had this great confidence because she was
honest and maintained her integrity. But while she was
polite, she found it difficult to forget betrayal. After Fidel
Ramos assumed the presidency, negative rumors attempt-
ing to taint Aquino’s integrity began to spread, which many
believed to have been propagated by Ramos. Locsin nar-
rated that during her late husband’s death anniversary, she
made it a point to invite the president (Ramos) and in her

speech, she said, ‘‘Some people think that I’m asking
favors from this man.’’ Locsin recalled how uncomfortable
Ramos looked; but what surprised Locsin more was how
Aquino was able to remain calm and polite for many
months before she spoke about her misgivings against
Ramos. Like most people, she too had certain limits on
what she would be silent about. For instance, she filed a
libel case against a popular journalist, Louie Beltran, who
alleged that she hid under her bed during one of the coups
mounted by rebel troops. Margie Juico explained that she
felt that it undermined her leadership. Her daughter Ballsy
added that she was worried what the military would think,
putting their lives on the line, while their leader hides out
of fear.
Cory Aquino’s genteel character blended with her
firmness and determination to pursue the common good.
She needed this to rein in the diverse characters and talents
in her cabinet. Frank Drilon declared, ‘‘she got conflicting

advice’’; but Aquino trusted people enough to uphold her
strategy of consultation. Deedee Siytangco explained,
‘‘They all thought she was a housewife…She fired people
close to her.’’
After one of the numerous coups that plagued her
administration, she fired Juan Ponce-Enrile, one of the
famed leaders of the 1986 Revolution, who was also sus-
pected of supporting rebel troops that mounted the coup.
While she was indeed, initially a housewife, the image that
a housewife brings may have masked that part of her
character that exhibited strength, firmness, and courage.
Locsin revealed that she did not think power made her
great or that the office gave her dignity. The office gave her
responsibility but she was giving dignity to an office that
needed it. Thus, Locsin declared, she was ‘‘grace under
pressure.’’
Democracy was the Aquino cause and symbol, which
she successfully forwarded through her integrity, spiritu-

ality, exemplary character, humility, simplicity, and cour-
age. As a result, she was authentic, people-centered, and
genteel (with ‘‘grace under pressure’’)—characteristics of a
true servant leader. This enabled her to stand out from
other leaders (without intending to do so, as in the case of
the narcissistic leader) and touched the lives of many,
ironically catapulting her to iconic and larger-than-life
leadership that the narcissistic leader consciously strives to
achieve.
The Path Toward Servant Leadership
Thus, one should ask, how did Aquino do it? How did an
inexperienced politician, Western-educated woman suc-
ceed in becoming such a larger-than-life symbol not just to
the Philippines but to the world? She was a simple woman
(with no ambition) who ended her law studies to get
married, have children, and raise a family. While she was
Asian, she was Western in many ways, having studied in

123
the Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia, the Notre Dame
Convent School in New York, and the College of Mount
Saint Vincent in New York, where she obtained her degree
in Bachelor of Arts major in French Language and minor in
Mathematics. As evidenced by her major, her exposure to
Western culture and thought was immense. Moreover, she
lived in the US for many years even after her studies,
raising a family, and experiencing the Western life. As
president, she was known to often deliver speeches in
English; and unlike the former dictator’s wife, the only
other visible symbol of female leadership in the country at
that time, who was also known to celebrate traditional
Filipino style, Aquino wore suits and sported a hairstyle in
Western fashion. Her Press Secretary, Locsin, declared, ‘‘I
wrapped her in the American flag.’’ Thus, in many ways,
she was an honorary Westerner. So how did this honorary

Westerner (and a woman, at that) successfully connect with
the people—and not just in a superficial way but in a way
almost equal to the effects of literature becoming a classic?
While Aquino did not prepare for the presidency, she
did not have to and merely had to trust those virtues, which
she already had to call and move people to action. Moore
and Beadle (2006, p. 372) opined that virtues ‘‘are enduring
character traits (as, of course, are vices), not practice-spe-
cific.’’ Gino and Pisano (2011) recognized that theories are
often rooted in science or decades of practical experience
but that in many cases, they are informal. Aquino had
practical wisdom (phronesis), which she acquired through
experience; but experience in the way of virtue (through
her life as wife of an ambitious, popular and later slain
leader and mother of five), which enabled her to become a
virtuous leader and thus, a servant leader. Her success also
illustrates how these enduring character traits, which are
not practice-specific are also not culture-specific. Her

practical wisdom is similar to two other Asian concepts
discussed by Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011): (1) the Japa-
nese concept of toku—‘‘a virtue that leads a person to
pursue the common good and moral excellence as a way of
life’’ (p. 60); and (2) yukta—‘‘just right’’ or ‘‘appropriate,’’
where executives believe that the purpose of a business is
to serve people and enhance society’s well-being, shying
away from excess and greed. Excess and greed have been
traditional Western qualities (from the Age of Discovery
and Imperialism to the Darwinian struggle for survival
incorporated into capitalism). They too have come to
characterize much of current business. Through Aquino,
we can better see the universality of virtue, because this is
what enabled people to see beyond the suit, Western
haircut, English language, and American background of the
former leader. Beyond the characteristics of Aquino’s
leadership dimension, was her very person and character,
which allowed her to naturally subordinate herself to oth-

ers, as evidenced by her numerous acts of humility and
supernatural outlook. Her power and influence emanated
not from any position in government, but from her con-
victions (Philippine Star 2009). Corazon Aquino is proof of
the fruits of being good. Her brand of goodness served as
the catalyst that charted her path toward wanting to serve
and at the same time, her spirit of service was a result of
her goodness of character. The phenomenon of her success
and effects illustrates the universality of the goodness,
effectiveness, and even usefulness of character rooted in
virtue.
Good leadership is best understood as a moral endeavor
(Whetstone 2005). Greenleaf’s (2002) concept of the ser-
vant leader’s ‘‘followers first, organizations second’’ phi-
losophy (Senjaya et al. 2008), elevates both leaders and
followers morally and ethically (Greenleaf 1977). It is a
model of leadership that can help ensure virtue. At the
same time, the formation of virtue can inspire the potential

servant leader’s impetus to serve; thus, foregoing (or at
least reducing) the inclination toward selfish interests. This
is similar to Senjaya et al.’s (2008, p. 404) premise that
servant leadership ‘‘is a manifestation of altruistic love in
the action of pursuing transcendent vision’’ just as the
essence of the latter is the motivational basis for becoming
a servant leader.
Aquino’s life was dedicated to serve God, her country
and people—a hierarchy of values, which she was faithful
to until death. Her conduct coincided with Greenleaf’s
description of a servant leader as one who ensures that
‘‘other people’s highest priority needs are being served’’
(2002, p. 27). Aquino was a reluctant president. Factoran
declared she only ran for president because of the desire to
fight the dictatorship and to attain freedom. Father Arevalo
explained, ‘‘That’s why she relinquished it (power)
immediately when the time was up.’’ Villegas explained,
‘‘She had a number of personal motivations which she

could have pursued.’’ She was the only president who did
not plan to perpetuate herself in power (Inquirer 2009).
Moreover, according to Orbos, the fact that none of her
children ran for office or took any government position
while she was in power is itself, tangible proof of her
commitment to work for the common good without
allowing selfish interests to get in the way. Specifically,
three factors motivated her decision-making—its effect and
implication on democracy, the common good, and moral-
ity. She never abandoned the people and remained the
guardian of democracy way up to the end of her life.
In order to further check the authenticity of servant
leadership, Greenleaf (2002, p. 27) asked: ‘‘Do those
served grow as persons?’’ Cory Aquino served and inspired
people close to her and also those who were far through her
example, integrity, honesty, love for people, and selfless
spirit of service. Some people were convinced to take on
the challenge of public service or initiate not-for-profit

123
organizations serving the poor. The rich and poor alike
guarded the democracy and freedom Cory helped regain.
The millions of people who paid tribute to Cory, and
prayed for her before and after her death wanted to thank
her for what she had done for the country.
In SL scholarship, virtues are referred to as character-
istics (see Klamon 2007), attributes (see Spears 1995),
values, and behavioral manifestations (see Yukl 2010).
Senjaya et al. (2008) identified them as dimensions, which
seem to most completely embody what the former have
said. They are the following: (1) voluntary subordination—
by being a servant and through acts of service; (2) authentic
self—leadership which flows out of ‘‘being,’’ enabling
authentic leadership manifested through humility, integrity,
accountability, security, and vulnerability; (3) covenantal

relationship—through acceptance, availability, equality,
and collaboration; (4) responsible morality—though moral
reasoning and action; (5) transcendental spirituality—
through religiousness, interconnectedness, sense of mis-
sion, and wholeness; and (6) transforming influence—
through vision, modeling, mentoring, trust, and empower-
ment. We posit, that servant leadership begins with and is
sustained and maintained by virtues. The interplay of vir-
tues and three of Senjaya et al.’s (2008) dimensions
(namely, authentic self, transcendental spirituality, and
responsible morality) set the stage for the servant leader’s
impetus for others-centeredness, which Levinas (in Knights
and O’Leary 2006) referred to as the engagement with the
other. Likewise, engagement with the other sustains the
virtues and Senjaya et al.’s three dimensions. Moreover, it
also enables the impetus for voluntary subordination. All
this ultimately leads to the formation of a covenantal
relationship with the leader’s followers, as well as trans-

forming influence, both of which further sustaining the
other.
Authentic Self
Aquino refused to be managed, much less packaged (Sicam
2009). She was both president and icon of what an
authentic leader should be (Padua and Macairan 2009).
Like virtue, the authentic self is a result of habit. Aquino
did not prepare for the presidency; but she already had with
her those virtues needed to restore decency to the office.
According to Senjaya et al. (2008), the authentic self is
manifested in the display of humility, integrity, account-
ability, security, and vulnerability—all of which were
dominant dimensions of Cory Aquino. While virtue leads
to the formation of an authentic self, the authentic self
furthers virtues that have already been acquired, and
enables the acquisition of other virtues in the process. Her
humility was manifested in her willingness to work quietly
behind the scenes without constant acknowledgement or

approval from others. This was made possible by her
integrity and sense of security. Her integrity made people
believe her humble intentions. But while she was iconic
and larger-than-life, as brought on by her success in
bringing down a dictator through a uniquely bloodless
revolution—fueled by prayer, manifest in very Catholic
and Christian elements such as the holy rosary, priests,
nuns, and figures of the Mother of Jesus—her elevation
into iconic proportions was also made possible by her
signature simplicity and humility. This was primarily made
obvious by her lack of political ambition. Ironically, her
rise to such a larger-than-life symbol is based on her
simplicity and ‘‘ordinariness.’’ Aquino’s simplicity was a
celebration of the significance of ordinary life; and this was
further strengthened by the fact that her goodness was
genuine and real. Moreover, her confidence enabled her to
not want more for herself in terms of power, fame, and
prestige. The leader’s secure sense of self enables him to be

accountable and vulnerable to others, marked by the
absence of self-defensiveness when criticized (Batten
1998) and the capacity to ‘‘abandon themselves to the
strengths of others’’ (De Pree 1997, p. 182). Moreover, her
faith in God already gave her what she wanted. President
Aquino’s values and strength of character is a reflection of
her devout faith. As a result, she was people-centered; thus,
enabling her to understand the significance of account-
ability, while trusting people’s autonomy and power to also
lead themselves through her strategy of consultation. Quite
often, she showed her vulnerability, which helped to
communicate her genuine and authentic nature, endearing
her to the Filipino.
Transcendental Spirituality
Transcendental spirituality is defined as the ‘‘relationships
servant leaders promote imbued with spiritual values’’
(Sendjaya et al. 2008 p. 408). It is both a consequence of
and catalyst for the authentic self. Similar to spiritual

leadership, servant leadership responds to the needs of
individuals by fostering a ‘‘holistic, integrated life.’’
McKee and Wallerstein (2009) opined, ‘‘Aquino avoided
the limelight, and was more comfortable among priests and
nuns than politicians.’’ Perhaps, the primary hallmark of
Cory Aquino’s leadership is how she married her role as
president and leader to her faith and personal relationship
with God. She counted on the support of Cardinal Jaime
Sin, the Archbishop of Manila, who shielded her in the
seven coup attempts launched by her enemies over the six
years of her presidency (McKee and Wallerstein 2009).
Her success in calling people to the streets was a great
achievement in getting people to turn to Christ and making
Him relevant in their life. One can claim that she is per-
haps, the first Catholic (and even Christian) political leader
123

to bridge the gap between Church and state. What made her
uniquely different from other leaders (particularly, political
leaders) was the combination of her supernatural outlook
and God-centeredness. Cory Aquino could well be the first
truly Christian Catholic leader who lived the faith and
married it with her political life; and that she succeeded in
inspiring people to make God relevant to what is normally
regarded as separate from religion, is a bonus. What
leadership scholars refer to as charisma, is what many
Filipinos refer to as ‘‘Cory Magic’’—and this was a product
of her principles and God-centeredness.
Responsible Morality
The ends that servant leaders seek and the means they
employ are morally legitimized, thoughtfully reasoned, and
ethically justified. They promote post-conventional moral
reasoning and encourage others to engage in it. Post-
conventional moral reasoning relies on internalized prin-
ciples of justice and right rather than the expectations of

others, attainment of reward, or avoidance of punishment.
Like a true servant leader, Aquino wanted to first give
people a chance to truly participate in government, no
matter where ones inclinations and ideologies lie. But when
she realized that it was not working and certain values were
being compromised, in the end, her principles triumphed.
Just as a leader needs transcendental spirituality to achieve
responsible morality, one who has attained the latter also
furthers the development and sustenance of the former. In
an organizational context where ethical principles are
typically compromised, servant leadership fosters reflective
behaviors, which bring about positive changes in the eth-
ical climate of the organization. Aquino did the same for
the Philippines when: (1) she assumed office after a dic-
tatorship in 1986; (2) she called people to pray and rally
against threats to democracy in 1998 and in 2000 with a
sitting president’s plans for term extension and corruption;
and (3) upon her death against another allegedly abusive

president with the election of her son, ‘‘Noynoy’’ Aquino,
who, before his mother’s death, was not even a contender
for the presidency.
Voluntary Subordination: Shedding
off the Autonomous Self by Engaging with the Other
A servant leader must be selfless enough to subordinate
himself/herself to others.
But what does it take for a leader to make that leap
toward servant leadership? We invoke Knights and
O’Leary (2006), who drew on the ethics of responsibility of
Levinas (1966, 1969, 1991/1998), who opined, ‘‘the notion
of the self is generated not by the self but rather through
engagement with the Other’’ (Knights and O’Leary 2006,
p. 126). An ethics of responsibility ‘‘is about an inex-
haustive care for the Other’’ (p. 133)—something very
much akin to the servant leader, whose innate desire to
serve first defeats any selfish desire that may emerge in
achieving his end, thus, successfully able to engage with

the Other. Cory Aquino was not ambitious or power-hun-
gry. She could have given up the struggle; and this would
have made her life easier and more convenient. But she
chose to fight—initially as the wife of a slain hero, then as
president of a hopeful but ailing nation, and countless other
times even after she stepped down as president and
democracy had been won.
Voluntary subordination is defined as behaviors of the
leader, which demonstrate self-concept and attitudes (being
a servant) as well as primary intent (doing acts of service).
It is evident in the willingness to assume the lowliest of
positions, possibly enduring hardship and suffering for
others. Knights and O’Leary (2006) identified the problem
of the autonomous self, which left its mark on society since
the Enlightenment; and that only an engagement with the
other could challenge it. We believe that voluntary subor-
dination is the result of this engagement with the other.
Aquino chose to give her life to serving the Philippines;

and in spite of everything that happened to her, her hus-
band, and family during martial law, during and well after
her presidency, she never once faltered in the call to serve
the country and the people.
Transforming Influence and Covenantal Relationship:
Servant Leader as the Catalyst for Virtue
Senjaya et al. (2008) stated that servant leadership is
contagious, bringing about a personal transformation in
others collectively and repeatedly; thus, stimulating chan-
ges in organizations and societies (Fairholm 1997; Russell
and Stone 2002). Two of Senjaya et al.’s (2008) dimen-
sions of a servant leader are direct catalysts for this—
transforming influence and covenantal relationship.
Transforming influence is defined as behaviors of the lea-
der that inspire and assist employees to be what they are
capable of becoming. It is when the servant leader is able to
transform others that will eventually stimulate positive
changes in organizations and societies. One of the most

memorable aspects of Aquino’s leadership is the result—
particularly, her effect on people. Teddyboy Locsin and
Frank Drilon, for instance, entered public life and ran for
office because of her efforts in the restoration of democ-
racy. Philip Juico, who served as secretary of the Depart-
ment of Agrarian Reform during the term of Aquino, was
also a private citizen before joining the Aquino cause. Both
he and wife, Margie, speak about Aquino’s great influence
in their lives. For Philip, her influence was ‘‘particularly in
123
terms of how we should behave as public officials’’; and for
Margie, it was Aquino’s mindset and that every time she
encountered a problem she would ‘‘think of what she
would have done.’’ Deedee Siytangco, who was Aquino’s
spokesperson, acknowledged that Cory inspired her to be a
better person. Bernie Villegas confessed, ‘‘I can think of

specific individuals who, because of having worked for her,
also started thinking always of what is good for others.’’
Jun Factoran confirmed this, revealing that even former
Marcos loyalist and executive secretary Rafael Salas once
confessed to him, ‘‘A life that does not include public
service is not a complete life’’ and said he never realized
this until he worked for Aquino. Teresita Ang See opined,
that people saw ‘‘You can be a leader and yet remain
humble and honest and not be corrupted by power.’’
Government officials were also encouraged to improve
work habits. Teddyboy Locsin learned to more regularly
meet deadlines. Oca Orbos learned the significance of
establishing warmer relations with people. Philip Juico was
astonished with how Aquino could hold on to her princi-
ples and decisions. He declared, ‘‘For her, if you are right,
although you may not be proven right today, tomorrow, or
years later.’’ This is what Deedee Siytangco referred to as
her tenacity. Her ability to sustain and endure without

wavering, made her consistent; and this in turn elevated her
to the level of icon. Juico explained that Aquino achieved a
lot without trying too hard. She simply led a decent life.
Transforming influence may occur through visioning,
modeling through personal example in visible and tangible
ways, mentoring and empowering others, and trust. In
Aquino, modeling through personal example, empowering
others, and trust were the dominant causes of her trans-
formational influence. Beyond merely moving people, she
succeeded in calling them to action and even adopting
certain aspects of her lifestyle through her example. Si-
ytangco declared that her security became prayerful
because of her. This is a crucial aspect of living the vir-
tuous life—that it spill over to others, influencing them to
acquire and also struggle to live in virtue. While she
remained a constant force many years after her presidency,
it was after her death that the magnitude of her leadership
was cemented to an iconic and larger-than-life level. As

proof of her influence and impact, during her funeral,
millions lined up for several hours under the heat and rain.
She led by example, empowered and trusted those she
worked with through her strategy of consultation and the
humble recognition of her lack of expertise in certain areas.
This also emanated from her people-centeredness, a pre-
requisite in the formation of a covenantal relationship—
‘‘an intensely personal bond marked by shared values,
open-ended commitment, mutual trust, and concern’’
(Senjaya et al. 2008, p. 407) for others. The strong ties that
bind covenantal partners produce a relationship that is not
easily stretched to breaking point or threatened by dis-
agreement or conflict; and the authenticity of servant
leaders significantly shapes and affects this. Aquino’s
authenticity and various virtues enabled a covenantal
relationship with the people; and with this strong rela-
tionship came the idea of ‘‘Cory Magic,’’ which included
her long-lasting effect and transformational influence on

others.
Our model can work best with companies that have
already identified the crucial significance of business ethics
and ethical leadership, but simply need an authentic and
workable model that has achieved results. It may, however,
be more difficult to adopt for companies that have not yet
identified ethics as a significant aspect in the success of
business; however, this article gives such companies a
practical enough rationale of why they should begin to
consider ethics.
Some Words of Caution and Future Research
The Virtuous Person and Mistakes
Certainly, the virtuous person and the servant leader like
any other can and does make mistakes. Acceptance of ones
vulnerability is in fact, one of the facets of servant lead-
ership. Sendjaya et al. (2008) explained that a servant
leader’s secure sense of self enables him to be vulnerable to
others. In addition, we invoke Caldwell et al. (2011) who

defined repentance ‘‘as a behavior that incorporates an
ongoing desire to improve one’s life by honoring duties
owed to oneself and to others’’ (p. 475). Aquino was aware
of her vulnerability as well as vulnerable to others. Proof of
which was her people-centeredness and strategy of con-
sultation. Her acceptance of her lack of experience and
knowledge was one of the motivations for the latter. She
knew she was not an expert in areas such as economics and
banking, for instance; and so she sought advice and lis-
tened. The other motivation can be drawn from her attempt
to put together a ‘‘rainbow coalition,’’ where she tried to
respect various ideologies, parties, and audiences by giving
them a voice or at least a chance to exercise their voice.
This clearly illustrated her love and respect for people. She
was truly vulnerable to people. At the same time, however,
she was known for her great firmness—so great that she
was sometimes also labeled as ‘‘stubborn.’’ Some may
think this all to be quite ironic and contradictory. But true

to the essence of Aristotelian virtue and servant leadership,
Aquino illustrates not a contradiction but a paradox—that
good leadership requires a balance of two extremes.
Aquino was vulnerable to people; and precisely because
she knew and respected people as persons, she was
knowledgeable and firm enough to recognize the real good
123
for people—the common good. Thus, while she was vul-
nerable to people, she knew that accommodating selfish
interests (e.g., of family and friends) was contrary to a real
sense of vulnerability to people. She knew it would be
contrary to the common good and thus, opposed to people.
Of course, she may not have always succeeded in choosing
the right advisers or made the right decisions; but she
recognized the significance of respecting the value of the
‘‘means’’ and not just ‘‘ends.’’ She knew that it was inev-

itable for good leadership to respect and value people; and
part of this exercise is hearing them out and giving them
the chance to partake and participate in the process of
being led. Even after this, Aquino recognized that she
could get it wrong; and once she discovered, for instance,
that she did not quite get the right person for the job, she
would let them go.
The Essence of Virtue Steeped in Modernity
According to Bragues (2007), with few exceptions, ‘‘no
sound empirical grounds exist for arguing that the checks
and balances framework in place prior to the end of the
1990s bull market in equities was exposed as systematically
flawed and in need of major restructuring’’ (p. 380).
Deriving his thesis from the ancients (i.e., Plato and Aris-
totle) he opined that the system in which things are being
run matters less than who is running things. Thus, ‘‘Atten-
tion must be shifted to the individual level of corporate life,
inside the consciences of our business leaders, precisely

where the ancient philosophers implied it should be.’’ In
other words, broken character and not broken systems is the
problem. At the same time, however, Bragues recognized
the difficulty in arguing for the cause of the ancients in a
world steeped in modernity. He found his solution in Ben-
jamin Franklin, invoking his modern reliance on self-
interest in tandem with the need for the formation of vir-
tuous character; and among Franklin’s advice—‘‘that the
character formation of business leaders take place through
an education emphasizing role models culled from business
history and biography’’ (p. 385). Aquino can be one such
role model even for shareholder-dominated environments.
Like Franklin, whom Bragues believed could offer a com-
pelling enough ethic for corporate leaders that virtue per-
sonally pays, Aquino and the effect she had on people and
history illustrates that indeed, virtue does pay. Ethicists
realize that in a shareholder-dominated environment, when
associations between virtuousness and desired outcomes are

observed, leaders may be more likely to respond to its
pragmatic utility (Cameron 2011). It is important, however,
for leaders to keep in mind the great irony in attempting to
relate virtue to bottom-line goals and success—that virtu-
ousness may no longer be virtuous as virtue is always
something aspired for and done for its own sake whether or
not any sort of advantage is in view. The entire exercise of
attempting to inject virtue into such a utilitarian and cost-
benefit framework might be all that it is—an exercise. But
who knows, just like other exercises which can lead to the
loss of poundage and the evolution of muscle, perhaps this
exercise may one day lead to the loss or maybe tempering of
utilitarianism and the primacy of selfish interests; after all,
virtue is a consequence of habit and the exercise of
attempting to inject virtue is definitely a good habit to keep.
In the meantime, for future research to help ease the tran-
sition for shareholder-dominated environments, studies
might focus on investigating the premise that while broken

characters and not broken systems are the problem, business
might have institutionalized broken characters as a system.
In which case, it would be interesting to see how this might
be contributing to the inefficiency of firms given the dra-
matic and often highly scandalous outcomes of the institu-
tionalization of broken characters.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked into Cory Aquino’s life and
presidency and the evidences they yield for the usefulness
and soundness of servant leadership as an alternative for
business in its crisis of leadership. Thoughts and opinions
of those who worked closely with her as well as articles
written about her allowed us to get an idea of her true
character and the effect and power this had on an ailing
nation in a seemingly hopeless position, even decades after
her term. She was iconic, heroic, and larger-than-life; and
this is precisely why business leaders can learn from her.
Paradoxically, however, she was also ordinary because she

lived and led as ordinary with qualities such as integrity,
spirituality, character, humility, and simplicity—the very
qualities, which enabled her to live that exemplary life. It
was precisely this ‘‘ordinariness,’’ which endeared her to
people and catapulted her to iconic levels; and this was
sustained because she was authentic, courageous, people-
centered, and genteel.
But many have also said that President Cory Aquino’s
success was short-lived. A possible explanation is while an
ethical leader can bring about change in moral culture, it
takes time for culture to change and that change may
expose far greater unethical behavior than was originally
believed to exist (Thoms 2008). Future research should
look into the ethical influence of Aquino, particularly, the
manner in which her ethics spread and was diffused and the
barriers to it. Future research should look into the rela-
tionship between time and the kind of change the Philip-
pines needed when Aquino assumed power. This should

further help organizations construct a more specific road-
map for a shift to ethics, beyond merely choosing an ethical
123
leader and developing one. But certainly, the Aquino suc-
cess story illustrates the impact of ethical leadership rooted
in servant leadership. Like Japanese companies, which
Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011, p. 61) opined, ‘‘may have
come under fire for the mistakes they have made,’’ Cory
too was constantly criticized for some of her strategies and
decisions. Like Japanese companies, which people con-
tinue to respect, Aquino’s image has remained untainted,
catapulting her to iconic and larger-than-life proportions.
Nonaka and Takeuchi stressed that before the devastating
earthquake and tsunami in Japan, ‘‘there was no crisis of
confidence in Japan’s corporate world as there is in
America’s’’ and if at all any criticism remains, it is that

Japanese companies are said to be not being sufficiently
capitalistic. But given Japan’s success in the past, it seems
capitalism may not be the ultimate rationale for business
success. Like the Philippine and Aquino phenomenon,
many leaders who might have been better versed in terms
of strategy and technique came but none attained the kind
of respect and long-lasting effect on history, society, and
culture as Aquino did, having actually been referred to as
‘‘Cory Magic.’’
It is recognition that Aquino’s was one of a transition
presidency, having successfully reestablished the infra-
structure for democracy, which paved the way for the
peaceful entry of a new administration in a better position
to steer the country to economic recovery. Unlike other
developing nations that have suffered from dictatorships
and other manifestations of instability, the Philippine
experience since the Aquino administration has largely
been fairly stable in the context of the plight of the

developing world. For years, even after Aquino stepped
down in 1992, people continued to look upon her for
direction, advice, and aid. Throughout her tumultuous
tenure and amidst growing discontent over failed expec-
tations, the public’s perception of Cory Aquino hardly
changed. She was still the honest and humble public ser-
vant who constantly fought and attempted to survive the
warring interests of politics and the economy. Her char-
acter, reflected in her traits, behavior, and virtues, enabled a
country and its people to mobilize against any threat to that
freedom and democracy that she helped restore.
While the country that Aquino and her husband fought
for remains under constant threat from the same dirty pol-
itics and threats to freedom and democracy in the dark days
of the Marcos regime, a consistent force, symbol, and
memory has remained as a constant source of inspiration
and fire for the Filipino, often invoking her memory and
symbol to try to get the country on track, in the tradition of

the bloodless, peaceful, and religiously inspired revolt
Aquino inspired in 1986.
Since that fateful day in 1983, a simple woman was
thrust into a life of unending responsibility; but she came
through and helped give the Filipino something truly worth
fighting for. With every wrong thing that has happened to
Philippine society and politics, one who is perhaps the
mother of her democracy has managed to make the case for
truth and love as another great leader in India once did.
Through her life and example, perhaps business leaders can
better understand the missing ingredients in their plight to
discover the true meaning of ethical leadership, beyond
traditional strategies and tactics following the path and
formula of the bottom line while achieving the effect of
greatness that will eventually ensure a fat bottom line.
While companies insist on strategic planning, managers
too need a kind of personal strategic planning especially in
the context of self-leadership. Through the idea of servant

leadership and the person of Aquino, we propose that
businesses understand, develop, and sustain an interior life
defined by the development and practice of virtues. As a
result, the sense of community and societal concern pre-
valent in business’s corporate social responsibility and
social marketing slogans may have a more authentic and
thus, effective and long-lasting result.
Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the
University
of Macau for funding as well as all respondents who
participated in
the study, and the two blind reviewers for their advice and
direction.
References
Acevedo, A. (2012). Personalist business ethics and humanistic
management insights from Jacques Maritain. Journal of
Business
Ethics, 105, 197–219.
Aportadera, B. (2009). Chief President Corazon C. Aquino.
http://billyaportadera.com/?page=articles&action=read&id=9.
Argadoña, A. (2011). Beyond contracts: Love in firms. Journal

of
Business Ethics, 99, 77–85.
Arjoon, S. (2000). Virtue theory as a dynamic theory of
business.
Journal of Business Ethics, 28(2), 159–178.
Badaracco, J. (2006). Questions of character: Illuminating the
heart
of leadership. Harvard Business School Press.
Bass, B. (2000). The future of leadership in learning
organizations, in
S. Sendjaya, and J. Sarros, servant leadership: Its origin,
development, and application in organizations. Journal of
Leadership and Organization Studies, 9(2), 57–64.
Bass, B., & Steidlmeier, P. (1999). Ethics, character, and
authentic
transformational leadership behavior. Leadership Quarterly,
10(2), 181–217.
Batten, J. (1998). Servant-leadership: A passion to serve. In L.
Spears
(Ed.), Insights on leadership: Service, stewardship, spirit, and
servant-leadership. New York: John Wiley.

Bragues, G. (2007). The ancients against the moderns: Focusing
on
the character of corporate leaders. Journal of Business Ethics,
78, 373–387.
Burns, J. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper and Row.
Caldwell, C., Dixon, R., Atkins, R., & Dowdell, S. (2011).
Repentance and continuous improvement: Ethical implications
for the modern leader. Journal of Business Ethics, 102, 473–
487.
Calica, A., and Macairan, E. (2009). Thank you, we love you,
goodbye.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=493236&public
ationSubCategryId=3.
123
http://billyaportadera.com/?page=articles&action=read&id=9
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=493236&publica
tionSubCategryId=3
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=493236&publica
tionSubCategryId=3
Cameron, K. (2011). Responsible leadership as virtuous

leadership.
Journal of Business Ethics, 98, 25–35.
Cappelli, P., Singh, H., Sing, J., & Useem, M. (2010). How the
best
Indian companies drive performance by investing in people.
Harvard Business Review, 90–97(March), 90–97.
Cavanagh, G., & Bandsuch, M. (2002). Virtue as a benchmark
for
spirituality in business. Journal of Business Ethics, 38(1/2),
109–117.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make
the
leap…and others don’t, in L. Hamilton and C. Knoche, modesty
in leadership: A study of the level five leader. The International
Journal of Servant-Leadership, 3(1), 139–176.
Dawson, D., & Bartholomew, C. (2003). Virtues, managers and
business people: Finding a place for macintyre in a business
context. Journal of Business Ethics, 48, 127–138.
De Pree, M. (1997). Leading without power: Finding hope in
serving
community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Evers-Williams, M. (2007). Servant-leadership: Love, honor,
and
courage. The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 3(1),
95–106.
Fairholm, G. (1997). Capturing the heart of leadership:
Spirituality
and community in the New American workplace. Westport, CT:
Praeger.
Finch, K. (2007). The image of god, servant-leadership and
forgiveness.
The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 3(1), 203–216.
Ford, L. (1991). Transforming leadership: Jesus’ way of
creating
vision, shaping values and empowering change, in S. Sendjaya
and J. Sarros, servant leadership: Its origin, development, and
application in organizations. Journal of Leadership and Orga-
nization Studies, 9(2), 57–64.
Gino, F., & Pisano, G. (2011). Why leaders don’t learn from
success.
Harvard Business Review, 89(4), 68–74.

When Servant Becomes Leader The Corazon C. Aquino SuccessSt.docx

When Servant Becomes Leader The Corazon C. Aquino SuccessSt.docx

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to When Servant Becomes Leader The Corazon C. Aquino SuccessSt.docx

Similar to When Servant Becomes Leader The Corazon C. Aquino SuccessSt.docx (16)

More from jolleybendicty

More from jolleybendicty (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

When Servant Becomes Leader The Corazon C. Aquino SuccessSt.docx